What to wear for graduation (2024)

FAQs

What should you wear for graduation? ›

It's a celebratory but serious occasion, and you want to show up appropriately attired. That generally means a more polished look elevated above ordinary streetwear, such as professional or at least business casual pieces – avoiding items like jeans, shorts and sneakers.

Graduation guests will want to strike a balance between dressing up and being comfortable. When researching what to wear to a graduation ceremony as a guest, check the invitation for any dress code requests. If there aren't any, we recommend a smart casual approach.

Wear White or Light colored outfits for a classic look

Your graduation sash and robes will typically be much darker or feature intense colors – it helps to have a lighter base to contrast and highlight the school colors that you might also be wearing on top.

Go casual with blouse and dress pants for graduation

As any mother knows, watching your child graduate from high school or college is a momentous occasion. You want to look your best to show your support, but you also don't want to upstage the graduates.

White graduation dresses can be traced back to an educational milestone in the 19th century. They were adopted as a symbol of purity and new beginnings for young women completing their studies. Today, they continue to convey a sense of youthful innocence and commencement into adulthood.

Sneakers can be a great way to show off your personality. I wore a pair to last year's commencement ceremony, and they were a hit! Dress shoes are a classic, but not always the most comfortable. Opt for a dressier sneaker with a white sole.

A good rule-of-thumb when deciding what to wear to a child's graduation is to aim for what will look nice while also satisfying comfort and not overshadowing the graduate. A nice dress, slacks, or a suit will meet any unofficial dress codes.

Can I Wear Jeans To My Graduation? It's advisable to leave the jeans behind as they can be considered far too casual against the backdrop of a formal or semi-formal graduation ceremony.

If your school doesn't have a commencement dress code, you can pretty much wear whatever you want! Feel free to express your own personal style under your gown in a pretty and polished way. That means you can wear anything from floral dresses and little black dresses to sleek blazers, pantsuits, jumpsuits, and rompers.

College graduation calls for an outfit more formal than jeans but not as dressy as a co*cktail dress you might wear to a wedding. Think business to semi-formal. Wear something similar to what you would wear to a respected workplace, special church service, or an important meeting.

Can you wear black for graduation? ›

If you are graduating in the fall or winter, choose a dress in a darker solid color (but something still colorful — don't just default to black!) or a darker floral print.

If you don't want to go for white, choose a bright color, like pink, red, blue, purple, or your other school color.

For Guests:

You'll want to avoid dressing in the school colors, wear something appropriate, and be sure to not take attention away from the grad. However, that doesn't mean you can't still look chic! Either way, graduation ceremonies are a perfect occasion to add that spring-forward dress to your cart.

There is a wide range for college graduation gifts, but the typical amount given to college graduates is between $100 and $500. Since these grads will be starting new careers, possibly moving, and paying off student loans, giving more is acceptable.

Many moms opt for pastels or cheery colors worn with some neutrals. You can also wear classic colors like navy, taupe, green, gray, brown, etc., which are always appropriate. However, avoid wearing the school colors or all black since you don't want to blend in with your child's graduation gown in photos.

Create a small part on the left or right side of your head, then brush your hair straight back and secure a ponytail at the nape of your neck. Take a small section of hair from the bottom of your ponytail and wrap it around your hair elastic for a polished look.

On a big day like graduation day, you want to feel accomplished and confident. Look sharp and feel smart in dress slacks, a button down shirt, dress shoes and a graduation tie. This is a classic combination that you'll see at a graduation.

For women, it is recommended that they wear a chunky knit sweater with a flowing midi skirt and tights. Opt for warm earth tones or classic neutrals. Complete the look with ankle boots or loafers and a cozy scarf. Men should look to wear a cable-knit sweater with tailored trousers or dark jeans.

The black robes worn by graduating students and their faculty are known as academic “regalia” – and there's a difference between a master's degree gown vs bachelor's. While undergraduate graduation robes may all seem the same, at the graduate level regalia tell a rich story of the graduate's academic journey.